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The whole world hates me for giving my 8-year-old daughter Botox – and I deserve it

By DULCIE PEARCE

17th May 2011, 11:00 pm

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THE mum who injected her daughter aged eight with Botox told The Sun last
night: “I cannot put into words the remorse I feel.

“I am going to seek therapy for my obsession with looks so I will no longer
push my insecurities about appearance on to her.”

Kerry Campbell was talking to us after her daughter Britney was taken away by
the authorities.

And as she remained separated from her last night, the single mum wailed: “I
will not use Botox on her ever again.

“I honestly felt I was helping her. I regret doing it and remain committed to
being a good mother and being reunited with my daughter.”

It is a far cry from her comments when we broke the original story back in
March.

Then she boasted about how she injected the poisonous anti-ageing drug into
little Britney’s forehead and lips in a bid to win child beauty pageants and
prepare her for stardom.

The Birmingham-born part-time beautician — who also admitted giving the
youngster leg and bikini waxes — caused outrage as our story made headlines
around the world.

Officials from the US Child Protection Unit have now taken Britney from her
San Francisco home to stay with relatives. They have banned her mum from any
contact with her until an investigation is complete.

Speaking through a close family relative, Kerry, 34 — who is staying with
family in LA — told The Sun: “I never wanted to harm Britney in any way and
I thought I was helping her.

“What has happened is devastating and I realise now that I was wrong.”

She was injecting Botox — bought for £150 per 3ml vial over the internet —
into Britney every three months.

She used needles from a chemist and a diabetic friend.

She told The Sun at the time: “What I am doing for Britney now will help her
become a star.

“I know one day she will be a model, actress or singer and having these
treatments now will ensure she stays looking younger and baby-faced for
longer.

“I’m sure people reading this will think I am being irresponsible but I ensure
that I test the Botox and fillers I buy online on myself first.

“All I want is for Britney to have the best start in life so it is easier for
her to become a superstar.

“More mothers should do it for their daughters.”

The Sun Online was inundated with comments from disgusted readers.

One, Lecharde, wrote: “It’s so awful to see when parents try to follow their
own childhood dreams by living vicariously through their children.”

Yoursun agreed, writing: “I feel physically sick. This woman is destroying her
daughter’s childhood, and all for a chance at fame, as if it is the most
important thing in the world!

“It’s such a dangerous and unnecessary risk to take.”

The story also caused huge debate on social networking sites Twitter and
Facebook.

The US TV shows Good Morning America and Inside Edition last week interviewed
both Kerry and Britney.

Viewers watched in horror as Kerry continued to boast about the vile beauty
regime. She said: “I am proud that Britney is one of the youngest people
ever to have Botox and feel I am giving her the best start in life.”

But after thousands of complaints, US officials acted on calls to their child
abuse hotline.

Trent Rohrer, of the San Francisco social services department, said: “It’s
pretty unusual for a mom to be injecting an eight-year-old with Botox and
certainly is grounds for an investigation.”

Britney was removed from the family home, leaving Kerry remorseful about her
actions.

She told a relative: “I realise now what I did was wrong. I was so consumed
with making Britney a star that I didn’t realise how bad my behaviour was.

“I am not emotionally unstable or an evil mother. Britney is the light of my
life and I was trying to help her.

“I can no longer bring myself to look at the comments on websites covering the
story. It makes me feel like I am being beaten up.

“I want Sun readers to know that I love my daughter with all my heart. People
have said so many horrible things about me, when all I wanted was the best
for my child.”

Kerry claims Britney is also distraught at being taken from home by social
services.

She said: “I have been in tears and I know that Britney is crying as she
misses her mummy. All she wants is her old life back and for us to be
together.”

Relatives of Kerry and Britney in the US say they are doing their best to
protect the vulnerable young girl.

But, worryingly, one family member, who cannot be identified for legal
reasons, remained supportive of her mum.

She told The Sun: “Kerry is a fantastic mother and she was simply trying to
give her daughter a leg-up. Britney has shown absolutely no ill effects from
the treatment and has always been a happy child.

“To say she is being abused is plain ridiculous.”

Kerry added: “I now realise that what I was doing was wrong. By concentrating
on Britney’s looks I was ignoring the things that were more important, like
her being a normal child.

“The entire world hates me but I will fight to get my daughter back. I have
been hounded and become a hate figure, which I probably deserve.

“But I want to take this opportunity to apologise to the world for my
mistake. I vow never to give her Botox again.”